Replacement of vans with cargo bikes

Hina Bokhari: In Transport for London’s Freight and Servicing Action Plan in 2019, it was suggested that up to 14% of vans could be replaced by cycle freight by 2025 in areas where LGVs contribute to more than 60% of traffic. What progress has been made so far, and how many vans have been replaced by zero-emission cycle freight in (I) 2021 (II) 2020 and (III) 2019?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not currently hold any data on how many van trips have been replaced with cargo bikes. However, TfL works closely with cargo bike operators and feedback from trials is that in many cases, van trips can be replaced by cargo bike trips. In a recent study Pedal-Me estimated that, for a sample of 928 cargo bike rounds covering 13,735 pick-up and delivery points, cargo bikes would make 3 more trips per hour, save 11 hours of travel time and produce 372kg of CO2 compared to 4,268kg for the vans.

Passenger Safety

Elly Baker: In July 2021 London Travelwatch recommended that TfL “Develop a reporting function in transport apps (or develop a singular app) that makes it easy, quick and straightforward to report anything unsafe, whether an incident or an outright crime”. What are your thoughts on this recommendation and has anything been done to take this recommendation forward?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) works closely with London TravelWatch (LTW) and has shared its activities and plans for improving safety and security, particularly for women and girls. LTW’s research has provided TfL and its police partners with additional and helpful insight on the personal safety concerns of London public transport users.
Improving the reporting of incidents is an important element of TfL and their police partners’ efforts to improve transport safety and security. TfL’s transport policing partner, the British Transport Police, received funding from the Home Office to develop a national safety app for the railway. The app, which includes reporting functionality among other things, has been developed with input from TfL and a wide range of stakeholder expertise and is due to launch later this year. It complements other reporting channels in place such as the 61016 number and online reporting, making it easier for people to report. TfL will work with BTP to monitor the implementation and usage of this app to understand what more may be required for all of TfL’s services

Vision Zero and Quarterly Bus Safety Data

Keith Prince: As you have explained in your responses to—inter alia—Questions 2021/0559 and 2021/3885 "the compilation of this [Quarterly Bus Safety] data has historically been a resource-intensive task”. Taking into account your Vision Zero Programme, how can something, in my opinion, as basic as collecting Deaths and Serious Injury data for the previous quarter from TfL’s bus contractors be so resource-intensive for TfL?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is committed to transparency in reporting its progress in delivering Vision Zero, including publishing data relating to deaths and serious injuries reported by its bus operators.
The responses to Mayors Questions 2021/0559 and 2021/3885 did not relate to the collection of the data but rather to the part of the process required to create the quarterly bus safety statistics publication.
The transition from Microsoft Excel to Power BI has, for example, enabled TfL to more efficiently cleanse and present data to ensure it meets data protection standards. Previously this task had to be performed manually as part of the quarterly bus safety statistics publication, which was a repetitive and time-consuming process.

Train Service at West Drayton (2)

Onkar Sahota: I understand from TfL that some Reading/Maidenhead services are operating Reduced Length Units rather than Full Length Units. This means that select western services will be operated with seven car trains that will not fill the full platform at some stations, including West Drayton. Can you tell me how long it will be before these select Western services will once again have trains that are Full Length Units?

The Mayor: Please refer to my response to Mayor’s Question 2022/0442.

Romford Station Update

Keith Prince: Please update the Assembly on the state of Romford Station.

The Mayor: Romford station is currently being upgraded as part of works associated with Crossrail, with significant improvements being made to benefit current and future passengers alike. These benefits include an upgraded ticket hall, providing improved passenger circulation from the entrance to the platforms, an improved station façade, a new entrance onto The Battis walkway, and new lifts providing additional step-free access to platforms 3, 4, and 5. This work is being delivered by Network Rail as part of the Crossrail project, and is progressing well.
It is expected that the new station will enter service during the second quarter of 2022, and Network Rail continues to assess the latest programme and support a robust works close out for both Romford and Ilford stations.

Ilford Station Update

Keith Prince: Please update the Assembly on the state of Ilford Station.

The Mayor: Network Rail is currently rebuilding Ilford station, as part of the Crossrail project, enhancing accessibility and making journeys easier for the thousands of passengers who use the station every day. In June 2021, an enhanced southern entrance opened, providing a new route to TfL Rail services (and Elizabeth line when open) for the residents of over 1,000 new homes, which are being planned on development sites to the south of the station.
Delivery at the station continues to progress; however, whilst carrying out the station upgrade work, Network Rail identified a damaged concrete slab in the concourse area. Network Rail and its contractor are working on solutions to resolve this issue. Once a solution has been identified, Network Rail will assess the impact upon the programme and will update stakeholders, the local community and passengers accordingly.
The target for entry into service and step-free access is under review, pending resolution of the issue affecting the concourse area.

Redbridge Roundabout Update

Keith Prince: Please update the Assembly on Redbridge Roundabout.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) undertook a collision study at the Redbridge Roundabout and a road safety scheme was progressed as a result of a high collision rate at the location. Public consultation was undertaken in Summer 2017, with the summary report issued in March 2018. The scheme was implemented in September 2019.
The scheme aims to reduce collisions through better directing of circulatory traffic around the roundabout by improving the directional and lane markings and improving large vehicle traffic flow by removing a pinch point on the south eastern edge of the roundabout by kerb line cut back. Full road re-surfacing was also completed.
Following installation, TfL Network Management monitored traffic signal operation and optimised signal timings. Further optimisation was completed in February 2020 following continued monitoring and user feedback regarding congestion on the circulatory lanes that was impeding traffic ingress to the roundabout. This had a positive effect on the queues on the roundabout and would have provided some assistance to Redbridge Lane East as well as all other entries.
TfL has recently looked at the roundabout’s operation , having observed some delays from its proactive monitoring of the road network. Traffic modelling has been used to assess the operation, and look for potential efficiencies. The assessment showed changes did not improve the operation, but moved delays onto different approaches. Therefore, we feel we the current set up is optimal, however there are some system changes we are planning to implement that will improve resilience and reliability of the signals.
TfL will continue to monitor the traffic operation but there are currently no formal plans to make any highway changes at this location.
TfL consider the impact of road safety schemes after three years of operation when collision data is compared and reviewed. Dependent upon analysis further actions would be considered for progression. Given the operational date and the time to receive collision data we would expect the review to be in the first half of 2023.

20MPH KSIs

Keith Prince: Broken down by month and vehicle type and separating between deaths and serious injury, please list the KSIs since January 2015 for all roads that have become 20mph since January 2018.

The Mayor: Lowering speed limits make London’s streets safer, healthier and more attractive for walking and cycling. It is also one of the most important things we can do to reduce the risk of people being killed and seriously injured on our roads.
The amount of road space that has 20mph speed limit has almost doubled since 2015, alongside increases in volumes of traffic on these roads.
The attachment shows the number of people killed or seriously injured on all 20mph roads since January 2015, broken down between deaths and serious injury, by month and by year and by road user.
Transport for London (TfL) keeps a record of the speed limits and implementation dates in operation on the roads within Greater London that it manages, but it cannot guarantee that records are as comprehensive for the roads that it does not manage (i.e. those maintained by the London boroughs). Therefore, TfL is unable to provide a subset of collisions on roads that have become 20mph since January 2018.
As an approximation, the table below shows the number and rate of people killed and seriously injured on 20mph roads since January 2018, against the total proportion of 20mph roads. I acknowledge that the data presented here in is not exactly as requested, but it is the best possible match.
The most recent full year figures show that the rate of both fatal and serious injury per kilometer of road space has fallen on 20 mph roads, with 42 per cent of roads now being 20mph. For more information see the Casualties in Greater London factsheet.
Number and rate (per 1,000 kilometers of road space) of fatal and serious casualties on 20mph roads and the percentage of 20mph roads in London (GLA area 2018-2020)
Year
Number of fatalities
(rate)
Number of serious injuries
(rate)
% of 20mph roads in London*
2018
16
(3.1)
973
(188)
35.0
2019
24
(4.3)
1,045
(189)
37.4
2020
18
(2.9)
1,053
(171)
41.5
Source: STATS19 collision figures, London Digital Speed Limit Map, Road Length Statistics (RDL)
* Figures represent the total percentage of all 20mph roads in January of each year (including 20mph zones)
** From September 2016 onwards the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) introduced the Case Overview and Preparation Application (COPA) to report road traffic collisions. The City of London Police Service (CoLP) adopted the similar Department for Transport (DfT) Collision Reporting and SHaring (CRASH) system in October 2015. The use of these systems has resulted in more injuries being classified as serious rather than slight and figures collected using these systems cannot be directly compared with previous data.
These numbers do not show compliance, and it maybe that a vehicle was exceeding the speed limit when the collision occurred. The information recorded, including the speed limit, may also not always be the result of extensive investigation.

The Mayor: 0137 ATTACHMENT (1).xlsx

Train Service at West Drayton (3)

Onkar Sahota: Given the need for greater social distancing due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, how can passengers be reassured that these changes will keep them safe?

The Mayor: TfL’s analysis shows that there is more than sufficient capacity on the line to match demand. This, coupled with the use of face coverings, which continue to be strongly encouraged across the TfL network, should reassure passengers that the network is safe for use. Please refer also to my response to Mayor’s Question 2022/0442.

Operation Hornet

Caroline Russell: How much money has been spent on Operation Hornet to enforce e-scooter rules to date, and for how long is this operation scheduled to run?

The Mayor: Operation Hornet is an on-going operation and has no scheduled end date. It is predominantly resourced by officers within the joint Transport for London and Metropolitan Police Service-funded Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC). As such, it is not funded separately from other RTPC activityto improve the safety and security of those travelling in London and it is therefore not possible to calculate exact spend.

Cargo Bike Storage (2)

Hina Bokhari: How many cargo bike storage facilities were installed last year?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not hold this data. Please see my response to question 2022/0298 (Future Cargo Bike Storage Plans) which sets out TfL’s work developing a cargo bike strategy that will include recommendations on micro-consolidation hubs and cargo bike storage.

Transport Provision for Disabled People

Krupesh Hirani: There is a lack of transport provision for disabled people using hospital and health care facilities. All Taxi Card holders in Brent receive eight trips a month. Could this be improved?

The Mayor: Although Transport for London (TfL) provides most of the funding for the Taxicard scheme, the scheme itself is managed by London Councils on behalf of the London boroughs and the City of London. It is therefore up to the London Borough of Brent to determine how many trips Taxi Card holders in Brent should receive.

Employers of 73 Bus Workers who died from Covid-19, March 2020-November 2021

Keith Prince: Following up on your response to Question 2021/4898, please provide me with a breakdown of the 73 bus workers who died from Covid-19 by bus contractor.

The Mayor: The friends and families of our colleagues who lost their lives to Covid-19 are always in my thoughts. Transport for London (TfL) continues to support the families who have sadly lost a loved one and has put in place a range of additional support for families and colleagues where there has been a bereavement. A permanent memorial garden is being developed in Aldgate to remember these colleagues.
Due to the sensitivity of information for colleagues who have passed away, TfL cannot provide a breakdown by bus contractor of the bus workers who have died due to Covid-19 related illnesses.

Average Traffic Speed in London

Nicholas Rogers: What was the average speed of all traffic in London each year for as far back as records go?

The Mayor: Transport for London has provided the earliest records it has for traffic speeds in mph in the attached table.
The speed values between 1977 and 2003 are from Table 3.2 from the Travel in London Report (2003). These speeds were estimated using a very small sample of vehicles on the road network. However, the data in the table between 2007 and 2021 is from a more accurate source using GPS devices fitted to vehicles using the road network.

The Mayor: 0832 attachment.pdf

Energy used by advertising on the transport network

Siân Berry: How much energy has been used each year since 2016 by advertisements, including lighting and direct use by electronic advertising displays installed at Transport for London (TfL) stations and other TfL sites, and what proportion of that energy in each year was procured from renewable sources?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not have precise monitoring information on the breakdown of electricity consumed each year by electronic advertising displays but estimates this to be approximately 14,000,000 kWh / annum. Through the procurement of new advertising contracts, TfL ensures that the digital screens are as energy efficient as possible. The use of digital assets also reduces paper and card consumption and limits the number of vehicle journeys in London, which further reduces carbon emissions.
TfL has a commitment to procure 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030. Electricity consumed by advertising assets is procured by different methods, including via the companies providing advertising services to TfL, therefore the contracts and sources are not all the same. The electricity procured directly by TfL will transition to renewable sources through the use of power purchase agreements. Please see also my response to Mayor’s Question 2022/0560.

Police chemsex training

Caroline Russell: When did the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) first become aware of chemsex and when was information about chemsex introduced to MPS training?

The Mayor: The 2015 Report of the Independent Review into The Investigation and Prosecution of Rape in London by the Rt Hon Dame Elish Angiolini DBE QC documented the concerns of Chemsex and consolidated the need for training.
Chemsex as an emerging trend was first covered in Personal and Professional Development training to 14,000 officers between April and June 2016.
In order to better equip sexual offences investigators in identifying and dealing with victims of sexual assault who might be or have been under the influence of GHB, mandatory training was initiated in May 2016. Since then, the training of all new sexual offences investigators has included the course.

Train Service at West Drayton (1)

Onkar Sahota: I understand from TfL that some Reading/Maidenhead services are operating Reduced Length Units rather than Full Length Units. This means that select Western services will be operated with seven car trains that will not fill the full platform at some stations, including West Drayton. Can you tell me what effect this will have on service capacity numbers?

The Mayor: As part of the Crossrail project, the seven-car Reduced Length Units (RLUs) must be converted into the nine-car Full Length units (FLUs). The conversion process takes place at Old Oak Common depot, requiring the RLUs to be located on the Western route to allow this to happen as efficiently as possible. Whilst this work is being undertaken, some services between Paddington and Reading are being operated with the shorter RLU trains, including West Drayton.
Transport for London (TfL) undertakes regular analysis of passenger demand to ensure there is adequate capacity on its services. The RLUs have a seated capacity of 350 and a standing capacity of 806, which TfL’s analysis shows is more than sufficient to meet the current demand while the conversion process is delivered.
The first phase of the conversion programme, which sees one converted FLU returned to service every three weeks, is scheduled to be completed by the middle of May 2022, at which point the vast majority of trains on the Western route out of Paddington will be operated using FLUs. There will continue to be two services in the morning peak and three services in the evening peak which will continue to operate as RLUs due to platform length constraints at Paddington. Once the Elizabeth line begins to operate directly into the Crossrail tunnels, the remaining four trains will be extended to the longer nine-car units. This is currently expected to take place in autumn 2022.

The Mayor: As part of the Crossrail project, the seven-car Reduced Length Units (RLUs) must be converted into the nine-car Full Length units (FLUs). The conversion process takes place at Old Oak Common depot, requiring the RLUs to be located on the Western route to allow this to happen as efficiently as possible. Whilst this work is being undertaken, some services between Paddington and Reading are being operated with the shorter RLU trains, including West Drayton.
Transport for London (TfL) undertakes regular analysis of passenger demand to ensure there is adequate capacity on its services. The RLUs have a seated capacity of 350 and a standing capacity of 806, which TfL’s analysis shows is more than sufficient to meet the current demand while the conversion process is delivered.
The first phase of the conversion programme, which sees one converted FLU returned to service every three weeks, is scheduled to be completed by the middle of May 2022, at which point the vast majority of trains on the Western route out of Paddington will be operated using FLUs. There will continue to be two services in the morning peak and three services in the evening peak which will continue to operate as RLUs due to platform length constraints at Paddington. Once the Elizabeth line begins to operate directly into the Crossrail tunnels, the remaining four trains will be extended to the longer nine-car units. This is currently expected to take place in autumn 2022.

Bus Priority Programme (4)

Elly Baker: How do you coordinate with the London boroughs when planning and rolling out projects included in the Bus Priority Programme?

The Mayor: The majority of London’s bus network runs on borough roads. Transport for London (TfL) and I recognise the value of joint working to deliver bus priority and enhancements across London’s bus network,
TfL has developed and shared with the London boroughs a range of datasets for London’s road network in order to support strategic, evidence-led, balanced and multi-outcome planning for streets. Through Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding, TfL has encouraged boroughs to identify opportunities to enhance and expand London’s bus priority network. The boroughs have developed their LIP plans for 2022/23 as the first year of the next three-year delivery plans, which are currently being reviewed by TfL and are subject to funding. Following confirmation, TfL will continue to provide ongoing support as required to develop and deliver projects.

Future Cargo Bike Storage Plans

Hina Bokhari: Are there any current plans to expand the network of cargo bike storage facilities across London?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) recognise that cargo bikes have a potentially significant role to play in replacing some trips currently made by vans. TfL is developing a cargo bike strategy to promote and support cargo bike growth across London. This involves research and industry engagement to better understand cargo bike usage, trends and growth potential. The likely impact of growth on supporting infrastructure, including micro-distribution and cargo bike storage is also being considered as part of the development of this strategy.
TfL is also working with boroughs, Business Improvement Districts and business support groups including the Cross River Partnership to identify spaces with potential for micro-consolidation and cargo bike storage. The Waltham Forest’s ‘Bikes for Business’ public cargo bike scheme is installing two cargo bike hangars.

TfL’s Letting Processes (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are Transport for London’s (TfL) processes for letting out commercial and retail properties fit for purpose?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) publicises vacant properties to attract the most interest and handles all offers received in a consistent, fair and transparent way.
To help prospective customers understand the process, TfL has published a handbook that explains the process to join its estate and supports them in the process. The handbook is available at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-property-customer-handbook-twentyone.pdf
Any vacant properties are listed on the TfL property website, and TfL also openly markets vacant properties through independent external letting agents and popular commercial property marketing portals. TfL’s agents place boards at vacant properties to advertise how people can enquire about the property.
The agent responsible for each property is obligated to notify TfL of all offers. All agents are members of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and are required to meet industry standards in their operation at all times.
Senior managers within TfL’s Commercial Property team are responsible for monitoring the performance of all external lettings’ agents. Whilst complaints are very rare, they are investigated by an independent team within TfL.

Uber

Keith Prince: Do you consider Uber to be complying with the Supreme Court employment judgment?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) set out its response to the 6 December 2021 Divisional Court judgment in TPH Notice 19/21. The notice is clear that “all operators will need to demonstrate to TfL through their operating procedures, booking processes or otherwise that they enter into a contractual obligation with passengers to provide the journey which is the subject of the booking.”

Technological innovations

Nicholas Rogers: What future technological innovations and solutions are you, MOPAC and the MPS investigating to help fight crime in London?

The Mayor: I, and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), recognise that there is a need to respond quickly to emerging requirements and that policing needs to use the best available technology to fight crime. The MPS have a mature innovation function, which focuses on horizon scanning and brings the best of modern technologies into the MPS. The MPS works alongside national programmes to support this ambition. Examples include tools to assist the better analysis of digital data that is often found in the possession of offenders and gaining more identifications of suspects through the improved use of DNA.

CW9 (4)

Tony Devenish: What engagement is TfL seeking with local residents to assess how CW9 should be significantly altered or removed completely?

The Mayor: The Cycleway 9 sections being constructed in Hammersmith and Chiswick, are being delivered under experimental traffic orders by the respective London boroughs, working in partnership with Transport for London (TfL). When conducting an experiment, a range of monitoring data will be collected, such as bus and traffic journey times, cycling flows, road safety data and feedback from local residents and stakeholders.
TfL has been engaging with local people throughout the project, including when it the previous temporary scheme was in place and before the latest construction works. Engagement has included collecting views through TfL’s dedicated Have Your Say web page, local stakeholder engagement sessions (with a specific focus on targeting under-represented groups), local resident community surgeries and other stakeholder briefings and meetings. TfL has also met with local councillors to discuss engagement on the scheme going forward to ensure all members of the community have the opportunity to have their say. All of this information will be evaluated to determine the benefits and impacts, so that any emerging issues with the scheme can be understood and addressed.

Review of advertising on Transport for London services (4)

Siân Berry: Within the annual advertising report, Transport for London (TfL) uses a number of categories that are so broad that it is not possible to tell if the advertisements may have any positive or negative impacts. Would you be willing to add new categories to enable tracking of advertisements that are for the voluntary and community sector, alcoholic drinks, gambling, flights and flight-based holidays, and fossil fuel-powered vehicles?

The Mayor: The advertising categories that Transport for London’s (TfL) media owners use are based upon market segments.The advertising campaign is allocated to one of these categories when the client makes the booking.
The assignment of the category is based upon the information provided by the client. At the point of booking, the specific content of the advertising copy may not be finalised or fit in to only one category. Therefore, it would be impractical to categorise the advertising campaigns in more detail as many would fall into multiple categories or require a subjective decision on the appropriate one.
To carry out a more detailed categorisation would require a second stage of this process, based upon every piece of advertising copy received. TfL’s media partners receive over 20,000 pieces of copy per year* so this process would require additional resource and software.
*Figures from before the coronavirus pandemic

Vision Zero: Night Bus Routes and Day Bus Routes

Keith Prince: Is there a different crash rate between night bus routes and day bus routes? If so, can you provide me with TfL’s analysis?

The Mayor: There are fewer than three injuries for every million journeys on London's buses. The figures for 2020, the most recent full year for which finalised figures are available, show that the number of people killed or seriously injured in or by a bus fell by 35 per cent between 2019 and 2020 to 135 people, which is the lowest number on record. This is 77 per cent down on the 2005-09 baseline.
The risk of a bus being involved in a collision resulting in personal injury can be measured as the number of collisions involving a bus against the total number of journeys travelled. Over 21 per cent of total motorised vehicle journeys were made by buses between 2019 and 2020, as set out in the London Travel Report, but buses were involved in fewer than 5 per cent of motorised vehicle collisions over the same time period.
The table below shows that, in the two years to the end of 2020, buses were involved in three per cent of all road traffic collisions that occurred between midnight and 06:00 (the operating times of night bus routes), when just under ten per cent of all daily road usage (by motorised vehicles) occurs. Over the remainder of the day, buses were involved in just under five per cent of all collisions, with the share of collisions partly reflecting the higher levels of motorised traffic, walking and cycling during this period. Personal injury collisions are reported in line with national STATS19 instructions.
Table: The number and rate of collisions involving a bus by time period (two years to the end of 2020)
Time period
All collisions
Collisions involving a bus
Percentage of all collisions involving a bus
Share of collisions involving a bus
Estimated total share of motorised traffic*
From 00:00 to 06:00
3,078
93
3.0%
4.3%
9.8%
From 06:00 to 24:00
43,236
2,066
4.8%
95.7%
90.2%
Total
46,314
2,159
4.7%
100.0%
100.0%
Source: STATS19 collision figures, *TfL Travel in London Report 14

Safety and Equality Act Consideration of Bus Routes without adequate Bus Driver Welfare Facilities

Keith Prince: Further to your partial response to question 2021/4901, please provide me with a list of bus routes which are deemed “Priority 3”, by which I mean “routes with a round trip greater than 150 minutes with a toilet provision only at one end”.

The Mayor: There are 17 routes which are currently classified as priority 3. These routes are:
As I said in my answer to 2021/4901, the priority system has been agreed by TfL with Unite the Union and the bus operating companies. This ensures that resources are directed where most needed. The good progress made since 2018 means that future-plans are now focused on the above routes, as others with a higher priority have been addressed.

Writing to Mobile App Delivery Companies on Delivery Staff using E-scooters

Caroline Pidgeon: Can you provide a list of mobile app delivery companies you have written to on the need to ensure their delivery staff are not using private e-scooters, which are illegal for use on public highways and pavements? Please also provide a copy of the standard letter you have sent.

The Mayor: Following your comment at October’s Mayor’s Question Time about reports of delivery app riders illegally riding e-scooters, my officers looked into this issue. Neither the Metropolitan Police nor the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) have any formal reports of app delivery drivers illegally using e-scooters. As a result, neither I nor Will Norman, my Walking and Cycling Commissioner, have written to any mobile app delivery companies on this issue. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) continues to enforce against illegal riding across London. Its approach focuses first on educating riders on the rules about where e-scooters can and cannot be ridden, unless there are aggravating factors.
As you know, Will Norman and the MPS jointly wrote to retailers in November 2021 to ask them to make the legal status of private e-scooters clear to potential purchasers.
Private e-scooters are unregulated and as such are not subject to any safety or build standards. I support TfL’s continued work with the Department for Transport and other cities in the UK to use learnings from the trial to shape any future Government legislation on private e-scooters.

Dial-a-Ride (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the Dial-a-ride trips for the four quarters of 2019/20 and the first 2 quarters of 2020/21 including: (a) the number of requested trips (b) the number of completed trips. Please also state the number of refusals in the period 2019/2020.

The Mayor: Please see the table below. This has been broken down by financial years, which in the case of Dial-a-Ride start from 1 April until 31 March and are split into four quarters for those years. The difference between the number of requests and completed trips is mainly due to customer cancellations and a small number of service cancellations.
Dial-a-Ride Trips
Requests
Completed trips
Refusals
Q1 2019/20
293,482
223,420
27,801
Q2 2019/20
292,637
217,901
30,893
Q3 2019/20
302,577
221,636
35,874
Q4 2019/20
328,655
232,783
30,143
Q1 2020/21
25,758
15,254
512
Q2 2020/21
48,735
38,824
2,606

Pedal Confusion

Keith Prince: Following up on your response to question 2021/4905, please provide me with the terms of reference/specification (including budget) of the research “TfL commissioned AECOM earlier this year to undertake research to better understand pedal confusion.”

The Mayor: More up-to-date research into pedal confusion has already resulted in newer buses harnessing subtle design changes to help mitigate this issue. Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Bus Safety Standard (BSS), which has been applied to all new vehicles entering London’s bus fleet since 2019, requires the presence of pedal indicator lights in the driver’s cab, with the aim of reducing incidences of pedal confusion. The BSS 2021 requires brake toggling to help reinstate the driver’s positioning and awareness of the pedal location. Other measures for reducing incidences of pedal confusion will be required on new buses from 2024 or earlier.
As explained in my answer to Mayor’s Question 2021/4905, in order to better understand this issue, TfL originally commissioned AECOM in February 2020 to explore the extent, key causes and patterns of pedal confusion incidents, and assess a range of solutions to them. Completion of the research was delayed due to the pandemic, however, TfL now anticipates publishing the final report on its website early this year.
Please find attached the specification and budget documents requested. Please note page five of the specification document refers to Appendix 1 Pedal Confusion and Appendix 2 Draft Bus Safety Standard: Pedal Application Error Research Report for background. These documents are available on TfL’s website via the links below:
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/pedal-application-error.pdf
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/solutions-to-pedal-confusion.pdf

The Mayor: 0149 ATTACHMENT 1 - Specification (2).pdf


  0149 - ATTACHMENT 2 Budget (1).pdf

Unacceptable Behaviour By TfL Staff

Nicholas Rogers: Broken down by different departments, how many times in each of the last five years have members of TfL staff been disciplined for unacceptable behaviour?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has a robust set of disciplinary processes which are in place to deal with breaches in standards, rules and procedures.
The attached spreadsheet contains the number of disciplinary cases that have concluded in each year, by business area – these are shown under the new reporting structure so some historical figures may have previously been under different directorates.

The Mayor: 0846 - Unacceptable behaviour by TfL staff attachment.xlsx

Hire Bike Schemes in North East London

Sem Moema: Do you have plans to expand the number of cycle hire schemes to parts of Islington, Hackney, and Waltham Forest?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not currently have any plans to extend the Cycle Hire Scheme to Islington, Hackney or Waltham Forest. TfL is, however, always open to discussing options to extend the Santander Cycle Hire scheme with boroughs and private landowners.
There are a number of factors affecting any decision to expand the scheme and build stations in new locations. These include the propensity to cycle in the immediate area, its proximity to other cycle stations, and whether it is financially sustainable to do so.

Annual Travelcards

Keith Prince: How many annual Travelcards were sold in each year since 2008?

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of annual Travelcards sold each year:
Year
Annual Travelcards sold (000s)
Within London
Outside London
2008
156
55
2009
197
49
2010
202
50
2011
214
53
2012
220
53
2013
220
53
2014
231
53
2015
238
54
2016
222
54
2017
205
54
2018
186
52
2019
167
48
2020
46
11
2021
22
5

Monthly Travelcards

Keith Prince: How many monthly Travelcards were sold in each month since May 2008?

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of monthly Travelcards sold each year:
Year
Monthly Travelcards sold (000s)
Within London
Outside London
2008
3,785
402
2009
3,942
380
2010
3,844
368
2011
4,106
395
2012
4,171
396
2013
4,345
404
2014
4,388
413
2015
4,974
458
2016
4,686
438
2017
4,182
420
2018
3,762
397
2019
3,298
367
2020
1,014
103
2021
670
64

Weekly Travelcards

Keith Prince: How many weekly Travelcards were sold in each month since May 2008?

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of weekly Travelcards sold each year:
Year
Weekly Travelcards sold (000s)
Within London
Outside London
2008
24,461
1,404
2009
22,899
1,233
2010
23,403
1,239
2011
25,042
1,276
2012
25,149
1,283
2013
25,922
1,268
2014
26,506
1,273
2015
25,236
1,315
2016
22,273
1,271
2017
18,787
1,208
2018
16,026
1,170
2019
13,519
1,066
2020
5,253
367
2021
4,599
333

Weekly Oyster Cap

Keith Prince: How many times has the weekly PAYG weekly Oyster cap been reached each month since the policy was introduced?

The Mayor: Pay As You Go (PAYG) weekly Oyster capping was introduced for Bus and Tram travel in December 2018. This was extended to include rail travel in October 2021. PAYG weekly Contactless Payment Card (CPC) capping was introduced for Bus and Tram travel and rail travel in May 2015.
The table below shows the number of Oyster cards reaching the weekly PAYG cap for journeys including rail by 4 weekly period since October 2021. The scheme started in week 2 of Period 7 2021/22. Equivalent CPC weekly caps are also shown:
Year
4 Week Period
Period End Date
Number of PAYG Weekly All Modes caps (000s)
Oyster
CPC
2021/22
7
16/10/2021
282
1,005
2021/22
8
13/11/2021
370
1,323
2021/22
9
11/12/2021
380
1,374
2021/22
10
08/01/2022
163
469
2021/22
11
05/02/2022
326
1,197

Dismissal of TfL Staff for Gross Misconduct

Nicholas Rogers: How many TfL staff have been dismissed for gross misconduct for each year since 2000?

The Mayor: The attached spreadsheet provides an update on the number of employees at Transport for London (TfL) that have been summarily dismissed for gross misconduct. Information is not held prior to 2004.

The Mayor: 0848-Dismissal of TfL staff for Gross misconduct attachment.xlsx

Junk Food Advertising Ban

Caroline Pidgeon: Since its introduction on 25 February 2019, have there been any reported breaches of the junk food advertising ban on the Transport for London (TfL) network? If so, please provide details.

The Mayor: Since the launch of the high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) restrictions there have been a total of four incidents that have resulted in the removal of an advertising campaign from Transport for London’s (TfL) assets.
As stated in MQ 4086, TfL removed two campaigns from its estate because the products displayed were found not to comply with its HFSS restrictions. Both campaigns were posted as a result of human error.
TfL has since instructed the removal of a further two adverts from a roadside advertising site near Lambeth North in 2021. These adverts were posted in error by one of TfL’s media partners; one featured a non-compliant product, and one did not include a product descriptor for the non-HFSS food pictured.

E-Bikes (2)

Neil Garratt: How many privately owned e-bikes are there in London?

The Mayor: It is not possible to calculate the number of private e-bikes in London as this data is not currently recorded.
The number of journeys travelled by all bicycles, including e-bikes, is reported in the Travel in London report. These are available on the TfL website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/travel-in-london-reports. It is currently not possible, however, to disaggregate this data to provide detail of journeys by e-bike only

E-Bikes (5)

Neil Garratt: How many hireable e-bikes were there in London every year for the last ten years?

The Mayor: There have been four companies renting dockless e-bikes in London in the last ten years – Jump, Lime, Human Forest and Tier. These were all rented via apps.
These companies agreed deployment arrangements locally with individual London boroughs, rather than with Transport for London (TfL). As set out in my answer to 2022/0825, this remains the process.
As such, at present. TfL does not have a central record of fleet sizes either now or retrospectively. Records are not held for other bicycle rental companies that may offer e-bike hire.

TfL advertising revenue

Caroline Pidgeon: In light of the pandemic and continued low passenger numbers, what has been the impact on TfL’s advertising revenue? What is the forecast for 2022/23?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is working closely with its media partners to support the recovery of revenues following the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Commercial Media’s revenue was decimated by the coronavirus pandemic; falling from £153.7m in 2019/2020 to £50.6m in 2020/2021. Revenues have increased during 2021/2022 with a forecast of £91.6m for 2021/22. The latest budget estimates 2022/23 revenue at £122.2m.
All forecasted revenue may change subject to coronavirus restrictions. Commercial media receipts include revenue from advertising, newspaper distribution, licensing, partnerships, and film office activities.

E-Bikes (3)

Neil Garratt: How many privately owned e-bikes were there in London every year for the last ten years?

The Mayor: It is not possible to provide the number of private e-bikes in London over the last ten years as this data is not recorded.
The number of journeys travelled by all bicycles, including e-bikes, is reported in the Travel in London report. Reports dating back to 2009 are available on the TfL website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/travel-in-london-reports. It is currently not possible, however, to disaggregate this data to provide detail of journeys by e-bike only.

E-Bikes (4)

Neil Garratt: How many hireable e-bikes are there in London?

The Mayor: There are currently three companies that are renting dockless e-bikes in London – Lime, Human Forest and Tier. These are hired via each company’s respective app. These companies agree deployment arrangements locally with individual London boroughs, rather than with Transport for London.
As such, at present, TfL does not have a central record of fleet sizes, though the number of bikes deployed can vary seasonally. Records are not held for other bicycle rental companies that may offer e-bike hire.

Monitoring E-Scooter Trial

Elly Baker: TfL is trialling a micro-mobility data platform managed by Blue Systems which allows for two-way data sharing with the e-scooter operators and helps with the monitoring of the trial. Can you provide details of this trial and whether it could be expanded to cover the Santander Cycle Hire Scheme?

The Mayor: The micro-mobility data platform allows two-way data sharing between Transport for London (TfL) and e-scooter operators. Amongst other things, this enables vehicle deployment and trip data to be gathered, which helps with the monitoring and evaluation of the trial and enables TfL to maintain an operational overview of the trial in near real-time. It also enables information on deployment and parking to be gathered. The parking data, for example, is used to calculate payments to boroughs based on the number of e-scooter hire journeys that end in their parking bays.
Expansion to encompass Santander Cycle Hire would not be viable at present because not all Santander Cycles have on-board geo-location technology, but it is also not necessary because boroughs are not paid for parking in the same way as the e-scooter trial. All Cycle Hire journeys end in TfL docking stations.

TfL Procurement Processes

Caroline Pidgeon: Is TfL giving any consideration to the real life sustainability in their procurement and tendering policies to ensure that the lifespan of their vehicles, from sourcing materials to scrappage, is in line with zero carbon emission targets?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is a signatory to my Responsible Procurement Policy. This states that we will work with suppliers to accelerate London’s transition to a low carbon and circular economy by ensuring that the need to meet targets on climate change and air pollution reduction are given appropriate priority in procurement decisions.
TfL currently leases the majority of its vehicles and therefore does not hold direct responsibility for the sourcing of materials or scrappage. TfL is in the process of investigating new procurement routes to the market and will integrate my carbon targets and opportunities for circular economy requirements as part of this work. TfL is also currently reviewing its fleet to identify which vehicles should be prioritised in the phase-in of zero-emission capability based on range requirements.

Disabled Persons Passenger Charter

Elly Baker: On 10 January 2022 the Department for Transport teamed up with charity Scope on developing a Disabled Persons Passenger Charter. How is TfL seeking to participate in this work?

The Mayor: The Department for Transport (DfT) is working with Scope to develop and deliver a new Disabled Persons Passenger Charter for bus, coach, taxi, private hire vehicles and rail. This will provide information about disabled persons’ passenger rights and how to seek redress when things don’t go to plan.
Transport for London (TfL) understands from DfT officials that Scope is leading on stakeholder engagement during this process and TfL has contacted Scope about how it can support this work and feed in views from a London perspective.

No Stone Unturned’ to protect Bus Drivers from Covid-19 Risks

Keith Prince: In your response to question 2021/4057 you state: “London (TfL) does not require the bus operating companies to share copies of their risk assessments covering activities within their garage environments. This includes any that were created or updated as a result of Covid-19.” After the deaths of at least 58 bus drivers from Covid-19 since March 2020 and over half that shameful number after the first Lockdown, how can you honestly state that TfL ‘left no stone unturned’ to protect bus drivers from Covid19?

The Mayor: I’m devastated by the number of London bus workers who have tragically died from coronavirus to date, and my thoughts go out to all those who are bearing the loss of family or friends.
As I have explained previously, I am satisfied Transport for London (TfL) and the bus operators took all reasonable steps to protect bus drivers from Covid-19 during a period of rapid change and uncertainty.
Covid-19 had already spread widely across London before the Government introduced lockdown restrictions. TfL, acting in accordance with prevailing government guidance and working closely with the bus operators, took a number of proactive measures to protect the safety of bus drivers, including introducing middle-door boarding, sealing driver cabs across the entire fleet and reducing passenger capacity, as well as regularly cleaning vehicles using anti-viral cleaning agents.
Additional space was made available to help staff socially distance during meal breaks, and both face coverings and hand sanitiser were supplied to bus drivers.
Regular dialogue between TfL and the operators enabled control measures to be consistently coordinated as far as possible, which meant that TfL was not reliant on reviewing copies of the bus operator risk assessments, which remain the responsibility of the private bus operating companies.

Accessibility of Taxi Ranks

Caroline Pidgeon: How many TfL appointed taxi ranks are in operation across London? Please also provide the number that are fully accessible.

The Mayor: I am very proud that London’s entire fleet of 14,452 licensed taxis are fully accessible. Each vehicle is fitted with a wheelchair ramp and has a number of additional accessibility features, including a swivel or flip down seat, a doorway not less than 1.2 metres high, low level floor lighting, high visibility grab handles, intermediate steps and inductive hearing loops.
I recognise that taxi ranks are an integral part of the Capital’s transport network and are particularly important for disabled passengers.
There are now 707 taxi ranks in London, exceeding the target I set out in my Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan, published in 2016, to increase the number by 20 per cent (from 500 to 600).
There are 566 ranks on borough and Transport for London (TfL) roads, of these 424 have nearside loading which is a key accessibility feature. The remaining ranks are located on private and City of London land, as well as other types of ranks such as feeder, refreshment and event ranks. 
The City of
London install ranks through separate legislation and many are historic, having been in place for several years. Though nearside access is requested, we have limited control over ranks that are located on private land. Similarly, event rank features can vary depending on the location and availability of road space.
Taxi ranks provide a range of other benefits towards passenger safety, the night-time economy and ensuring passengers can complete their onward journeys from larger venues and transport hubs, for this reason some less accessible ranks are maintained.
TfL works with London boroughs to ensure that all new taxi ranks take into consideration accessibility requirements wherever possible.

Taxi Refreshment Ranks (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: How many taxi refreshment ranks have been closed in (a) 2019 (b) 2020 and (c) 2021?

The Mayor: The Kensington Refreshment rank was closed in 2021 due to a road traffic accident, and the rank is scheduled to reopen soon. Transport for London has no record of any other refreshment ranks that closed over this period.

Taxi Refreshment Ranks (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are there any current plans to introduce more taxi refreshment ranks in London?

The Mayor: There are 12 refreshment ranks which are run by independent charities with Transport for London (TfL) supplying the associated taxi rank infrastructure that supports them.
There are currently no requests for additional taxi refreshment ranks, TfL will of course consider the feasibility of any requests it receives for new refreshment ranks.

Taxi Rest Ranks

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the number of taxi rest ranks in London, and confirm if there are any current plans to increase the number of taxi rest ranks.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) works closely with the taxi trade and will always consider any requests for additional taxi ranks, including rest ranks.
The most recent trade request for a rest rank in Southwark was unfortunately refused by the local authority due to competing demands for residential parking. TfL will, of course, consider any further requests it receives.
There are 35 taxi rest ranks in London, mainly located in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Camden.
Due to limited road space it may not be feasible to install additional infrastructure, however, TfL is willing to consider converting under-used working taxi ranks to rest ranks following discussion and agreement with the trade.

Public Toilets for Taxi Drivers on Rest Ranks

Caroline Pidgeon: Are you satisfied with the provision of toilet facilities at rest ranks for cab drivers? What other work are you undertaking to allow access to more toilet facilities for Black Taxi drivers in London, as well as those who work in the delivery industry?

The Mayor: Taxi drivers, alongside private hire vehicle drivers and delivery drivers, are able to access toilets at a number of publicly accessible locations.
Transport for London (TfL) provides this information regularly to taxi and private hire licensees via Twitter, a weekly email sent to around 160,000 licensees and in its On Route magazine, an ezine aimed at the taxi and private hire industries.
TfL has previously undertaken trials providing access to toilets in Tube stations, as detailed in MQ 2020/0662. These trials were promoted widely amongst the taxi trade, but the facilities were not widely used.

Streetspace and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (3)

Len Duvall: What benefits have there been for Londoners as a result of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods introduced as part of the StreetSpace schemes?

The Mayor: Please see my answer to MQ 2022/0719

Streetspace and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (2)

Len Duvall: What changes has TfL made to its own work on implementing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods based on this learning?

The Mayor: Streetspace Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) were delivered by boroughs with funding from the Department for Transport allocated via Transport for London (TfL). Therefore, TfL has not implemented any temporary LTNs on the Transport for London Road Network.
TfL has supported boroughs in the implementation of LTNs through guidance on delivery and monitoring. Guidance was updated following learnings from early Streetspace delivery. Updates included highlighting the needs of disabled residents and the importance of meaningful consultations on schemes before implementation.

Streetspace and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (5)

Len Duvall: Have there been unforeseen impacts from Low Traffic Neighbourhoods? What are these if any?

The Mayor: The rapid delivery of emergency Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) meant that it was not possible for boroughs to model all aspects of the schemes before implementation. Whilst most LTNs have been successful in achieving their objectives, some boroughs have made changes to their schemes to maximise the benefits and in a few cases, boroughs have removed them.
As LTNs are all different and are implemented for the local community, the boroughs’ reasons for the removal or changes to LTNs vary, some of which have been published in borough monitoring reports available on their websites.

Streetspace and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (4)

Len Duvall: How could the benefits from Low Traffic Neighbourhoods be maximised?

The Mayor: Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) are designed to encourage more people to walk and cycle more safely and more often by reducing motor vehicle traffic. They work best when they are co-designed with the local community and are implemented to provide better streets and outdoor spaces.
The benefits of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods can be maximised by delivering them alongside complementary measures also aimed at creating healthier, more inclusive streets where people choose to walk, cycle and use public transport. This might include improved pedestrian crossings, providing places to stop and rest, cycle parking, better footways and more dropped kerbs and implementing climate change adaption strategies such as green infrastructure.

Streetspace and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (6)

Len Duvall: Does data suggest that Low Traffic Neighbourhoods bring air quality benefits for all Londoners or just those living closest to the LTN?

The Mayor: Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) are one tool within a suite of measures that fall under the Healthy Streets Approach to encourage mode shift away from the car to active and sustainable modes. This shift to sustainable transport is vital for improving air quality across London. Recent LTN air quality monitoring and modelling data published by various boroughs demonstrate broadly positive results (1,2,3,4). However, there is currently no available data on London wide air quality impacts of LTNs.
(1) https://hackney.gov.uk/homerton-ltnboth
(2) https://www.islington.gov.uk/-/media/sharepoint-lists/public-records/transportandinfrastructure/information/adviceandinformation/20212022/20210914stpeterspeoplefriendlystreetspreconsultationmonitoringreport.pdf?la=en&hash=9C594847F779B4E048AE1283E4718C6E86871528
(3) https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021-09/Railton%20Stage%202%20Monitoring%20Report_0.pdf
(4) https://safetravelcamden.commonplace.is/overview